11 Creative Things To Do in Your Free Time

Continuous lockdown measures and various restrictions continually getting harsher due to the COVID-19 pandemic, have forced us to stay home for much longer than we’ve ever been used to before. We have had to resort to entertaining ourselves in our homes and filling out our time with activities to pass the hours of the day more quickly.

This may have been an opportunity for many of us to pick up new hobbies or delve into activities that we haven’t had the time to explore before.

If this isn’t the case for you and you are keen to pass the time with some creative activities, then here are a few you can try out as you enjoy your solitary time at home.

Paint

I know what you’re thinking, ‘but I’m not an artist’, well you don’t have to be – all thanks to the great painting kits from PaintByNumbers. These kits include everything you need to create a beautiful masterpiece, and the best thing is you don’t need any previous artistic experience at all! The canvas provided is broken up into numbered tiles that are painted according to the corresponding colored paint. It is the perfect way to pass the time and be super creative at the same time.

Puzzles

Puzzles are very easy to buy and are not pricey at all. Depending on your level of patience, they can be a really wonderful way to spend a quiet evening at home. If you aren’t too keen on the jigsaw kind then you can try a crossword puzzle or sudoku. All of these puzzle types help improve concentration, memory, and critical thinking.

Chess

If the latest Netflix craze ‘The Queen’s Gambit’ has left you really wanting to learn some chess then all you need to do is invest in a cheap chessboard (which you can easily buy online) and teach yourself via YouTube videos or various chess blogs. Chess is a great way to challenge yourself and keep your brain stimulated whilst at home. It is a great way to exercise your brain and can actually aid in preventing diseases like dementia. It has also been shown to raise IQ too!

Photography

There is no need to spend loads of money on an expensive camera if you are keen to get into the art of photography, as many smartphones can take some good quality photos. If you have a good eye for photography you can even make a bit of extra cash on the side by selling your images on sites such as iStockphoto.

Gardening

One benefit of staying at home for long periods of time is giving your garden the TLC it needs and deserves. It is a great way to get some daily fresh air and get back to nature, which can be extremely beneficial and therapeutic whilst cooped up at home day in and day out. You can even grow fresh edibles and various fruit and vegetables, allowing you to venture to your local supermarket less frequently!

Cooking

Cooking is a great way to let out your inner creativity and make something new and different. Ditch the prepackaged mixes and store-bought cans, and cook a delicious meal from scratch using only the freshest ingredients. You’ll be amazed at what you can create by mixing a load of different ingredients together in one cooking pan. It’s a great way to experiment with different flavors too and broaden your taste palette.

Origami

If you have never heard of it before, origami is the art of paper folding to create sculptures out of flat pieces of paper. Origami dates back to 17th Century Japan, but it has become increasingly popular in the West in recent years. The best thing about origami is that it does not require any glue, scissors, or any other tools, so you can create some really great pieces with just a piece of paper! You can easily learn everything you need to know from online tutorials and videos.

Coding

One of the best skills to learn in your spare time is coding, it is so easy to learn online – all you need is a computer and a good internet connection. There are several free resources on the web in a variety of languages and scripts to suit all levels. Learning to code can become an invaluable skill and with everything moving online, it can take you very far in the future.

Dancing

Dancing is a really wonderful form of entertainment to pass the time as well as being a great form of exercise to help you get in shape and shred a few of those pounds. Dancing is also highly expressive, allowing you to release high levels of tension while you work up a good sweat. There are so many forms of dance that you can learn such as salsa, hip hop, Latin, or step, depending on your preference and how hard you want to work. You can take online dance classes or simply freestyle to some of your favorite tunes!

Scrapbooking

Creating a small scrapbook containing some of your favorite memories and moments in life is a great way to document all of those memories in one place to refer back to. It is also a really great creative process and allows you to be artistic for a few hours as you put it all together.

Blogging

After you have taken the time to master all of these new skills and hobbies, why not write a blog about it documenting everything you’ve learned and how you’ve found it. There are so many free online blogging websites such as Blogger and WordPress. They are very simple and straightforward to use and allow you to create several blogs in one space. It also gives you the creative freedom of adding imagery and designs to your blogs too. Blogging about your new hobbies and interests allows you to drastically improve your writing skills while also connecting with others that share the same interests as you.